Analysis

Fitch Ratings maintains a negative banking-sector outlook for Sri Lanka in 2018 as operating conditions should remain challenging, which could put mild pressure on performance during the rest of 2018 and possibly 2019. Nevertheless, the performance of Sri Lankan banks under Fitch’s coverage remained fairly stable through 2017 and 1Q18, and Fitch expects their credit…

CSE’s Depository arm CDS capitalizing on technology to diversify business

Central Depository Systems (Pvt) Ltd (CDS), a fully owned subsidiary of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) is announcing a number of new offerings focused on raising-the-bar in the services offered to its stakeholders. In this in-depth interview, Mr. Nalin Fonseka, Head of CDS speaks on the thinking behind these new offerings and how they will…

With the recent announcement that the much-anticipated Colombo Light Rail Transit (LRT) project is all set to proceed with Phase 1 following the green light from government ministries, there has been widespread speculation on its effect on the price of property within close proximity to the line. Taking into consideration various factors and an accumulation…

The corporate community is less than impressed by prospects for the national economy The number of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka reached almost 1.2 million in the first half of 2018, which corresponds to a healthy growth of 15.3 percent year on year. The largest source markets for travellers to Sri Lanka were India, China…

Corporates are adopting a go it alone approach amid a challenging policy milieu Sri Lanka’s listed entities recorded robust earnings growth in the first quarter of 2018 with the banks, and finance and insurance companies leading the way – this despite relatively weak consumer demand and lacklustre corporate sentiment. It has also been reported that…

Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) has affirmed the Government of Sri Lanka’s foreign currency issuer and senior unsecured ratings at B1 and maintained the negative outlook. The decision to affirm the rating at B1 reflects Sri Lanka’s progress in implementing the planned reform program, which entails fiscal consolidation and a build-up foreign exchange reserves buffers, ahead…

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Sri Lanka-based Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC’s National Long-Term Rating at ‘A+(lka)’. The Outlook is revised to Stable from Negative. Fitch has also affirmed the National Long-Term Rating on Lion’s outstanding senior unsecured debentures at ‘A+(lka)’. The Outlook was revised to Stable because we expect Lion to be able to maintain leverage…

Statistics of housing and apartment prices collected by property firm LankapropertyWeb indicates growth of prices of house prices – 4 Bed room – are at declining path from first quarter 2018 and growth of apartment – 3 Bed Room – is also in same trend from second quarter of 2018, a recent analysis by data statistical firm…

• Parking fees limits the number of unwanted parking • Gives more opportunity for people to find a parking spot Colombo is in need of better, managed parking as the city continues to grapple with congestion on the streets. According to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, by 2017 the vehicle population in Sri…

First Capital Research the research arm of the country’s one of the leading investment banks in their latest Mid-Year Economic outlook points out that “A further defeat for the present Government may worsen the prevailing political uncertainty” adding that however, an improvement in the voter base may provide some respite. Report highlights that the political uncertainty…